The Other Reason
by GuardianDragon98
Summary: "It's not just the wanderlust that's making me do this..." Hiccup had one other reason for wanting to explore the world outside of Berk. And that reason had something to do with his best human friend. *Spoilers for Race to the Edge*


**Hey everybody! Okay, before I get on with the story, I have some important announcements.**

 **Number One: I have read some rather big spoilers about Race to the Edge and, since I have added Heather to my story "HTTYD: Frozen Fire", I have gone and have started to edit some of the past chapters to help Heather fit into the story better. When I post the next chapter to Frozen Fire, I shall also include a list of the revised chapters so you guys can read the new changes.**

 **Number Two: I have no plans to make my own version of Season Three because I plan on having Zenna and Stryka leave after Defenders of Berk. But, I don't really want them to be totally absent so…I've come up with this little ficlet.**

 **That's all for now!**

 **NOTE: I DO NOT OWN HTTYD, HTTYD 2, Riders of Berk, Defenders of Berk or Dragons: Race to the Edge. Basically, I do NOT own the HTTYD franchise. All rights to everything go to Cressida Cowell, Dean DeBlois and DreamWorks Animation.**

* * *

 **The Other Reason**

Astrid Hofferson grinned as her axe hit the target dead-center once again. Stormfly, Astrid's Deadly Nadder, squawked with pride and unleashed her Spine Shot, also scoring a direct hit on her own target. "Good training, girl. Okay, let's work on our flight maneuvers!" Astrid then hopped onto Stormfly's saddle and they flew up into the air.

It was another glorious day in the Dragon's Edge, the base of operations for the six Dragon Riders as they explored new lands and discovered new dragons and their home away from Berk.

Fishlegs was compiling all of the new information of the new dragon species the gang had discovered in his haven of a hut, built to be a place of calm, peace, serenity and quiet meditation. Snotlout was currently putting out a fire on his elevated hut with water from the huge barrel he kept handy while the Twins were, well, working on new ways to ' _Loki_ ' the team, while making sure that their unstable hut was kept afloat by the huge balloons they had tied to it. All of the other dragons, both the Riders' and some of the wild ones they had let stay, were all flying about and enjoying the day.

Passing by her fortress of a hut, Astrid spotted Hiccup and Toothless perched on the roof of the clubhouse in the very middle of their little slice of Valhalla. Landing Stormfly on the roof, Astrid went up to Hiccup. "Hey, Babe," the Hofferson lady smiled. Hiccup looked, noticed his girlfriend, and smiled. "Hey, Astrid," he said softly.

That's when Astrid noticed that Hiccup was making a flower crown out of violet orchids and violet tulips, favorite flowers of a certain one-eyed Dragon Rider.

"You do realize that Zenna's not with us, right?" Astrid reminded him. Hiccup slightly laughed and nodded. "Yeah, I know. It's just that…today's our Friendaversary and…I always make a flower crown for Zenna," he said quietly as he finished the flower crown. Astrid and smiled, taking the flower crown from Hiccup. "You've been making flower crowns for Zenna for the past three years she's been gone?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "It hasn't been just me. Toothless, here, has been making his own flower crowns for Stryka," Hiccup waved a hand to Toothless who was, amazingly, making large flower crowns of his own. Toothless warbled before going back to his work, deftly using his tiny claws to arrange the flowers on a large circle of wood and vines.

"Whoa…who would have known Toothless could actually make stuff like that?" Astrid asked in surprise. "I did," Hiccup smiled. Then his cheerful face turned sad and Astrid knew what her boyfriend was thinking about. "I know you and Toothless miss Zenna and Stryka, Hiccup. We all do," Astrid told Hiccup gently.

Hiccup nodded and sighed. "Did you ever wonder how everything would have turned out differently if Zenna and Stryka hadn't left? The whole Dagur thing…finding the Dragon's Edge and all these other cool dragons…meeting up with Heather again and discovering…that thing about her and…and the South?" he asked. Astrid looked thoughtful for a second before choosing her words carefully. "You think…we should tell her that her old home's been destroyed by the Berserkers?" she asked carefully. At that question, Hiccup's face paled. Odin, he wasn't sure how Zenna would take the news…

Shaking his head, Hiccup said, "No. If Zenna comes back and we tell her…she'll want to seek vengeance against Dagur like Heather almost did…And if she goes off to confront him…I don't even want to think about it…I almost lost her the last time…" with a look of pure worry on his face. Astrid nodded in understanding. "Okay…we won't tell her…But, regarding your other thoughts…I guess things _would_ have been really different if she and Stryka stuck around. I bet Zenna would be fascinated with all the new dragons…She would have made her own special hut I bet would have been right next door to yours…she would have been really freaked out with Fishlegs turning into ' _Thor Bonecrusher_ '…Yeah, things would have been _really_ different if she and Stryka hadn't left," the blonde Hofferson girl said.

"You forgot one important detail," Hiccup pointed out. "What's that?" Astrid asked curiously. "With Zenna around, she would have kept me sane while you guys drove me crazy," Hiccup said jokingly, earning a punch from his tough girlfriend. Astrid rolled her eyes at him but laughed. "Yeah…I miss Zenna too…But I do know what I don't miss about her: Her interrupting us when we're having our moments," she said, making Hiccup chuckle.

Then Hiccup's face turned solemn and he pulled out a sheet of paper. Astrid immediately recognized Zenna's signature. "This was a letter I got from her shortly before we began our new adventures…" Hiccup said softly. Leaning against Hiccup's side, Astrid took the letter and began to read…

' **Dear Hiccup,**

 **It looks like the past three years Stryka and I have been gone are peaceful times there on Berk. That's great news. Stryka and I often spend time worrying if my parents and you guys are alright and, upon reading your previous letters, it looks like we don't have to worry too much anymore.**

 **But, yeah, I'm pretty sure you and Toothless are bored out of your minds. What with Astrid joining the Berk Guard, Snotlout becoming the "Official Weapons Tester", Ruffnut and Tuffnut dedicating their lives to Loki and Fishlegs becoming the historian of dragons for the people of Berk…looks like you and Toothless have tons of free time but not enough buddies to spend it with.**

 **I know it might seem like the glory days are over Hiccup, but they're just beginning. So far, there is one very important thing that I have learned with Stryka these past three years away from Berk.**

 _ **There's a whole world out there just waiting to be explored and there's more to the world than just Berk.**_

 **Take my word for it, my one-legged brother, the world is** _ **huge**_ **. And it's waiting for you and Toothless to get out there to explore it.**

 **While you're at it, try to get the gang back together every now and then. Who knows…maybe you guys might just find something new out there…**

 **Man, if my schedule here isn't so packed, Stryka and I wouldn't mind joining you guys on another crazy and wildly fun adventure full of danger and excitement, but the life of a medical student is tough.**

 **Anyway, I'll write to you again soon. Right now, I've gotta study for one of my exams. Take care, Hiccup!**

 **Okay?**

 _ **Z.F.**_

 _ **PS:**_ **Stryka sends Toothless her love'**

Reading the letter again, Astrid slowly put two and two together and looked at Hiccup. As if he could tell what his Milady was thinking, Hiccup nodded. "Zenna inspired me to get out there, Astrid. And what she wrote about in her letter is right. There _is_ a whole world to explore out there beyond Berk…" he said before sighing.

"And… _it's not just the wanderlust that's making me do this_."

Astrid looked at Hiccup, slightly confused. Hiccup ran a hand through his thick auburn hair. "The minute I heard that Dagur had escaped, I immediately thought about Zenna and Stryka. If Dagur is going beyond the Archipelago, what are the chances that he could accidentally bump into them? And, gods, if he tried to hurt Zenna again and…I wasn't there to protect her…I…I don't know if I can ever live with myself if something similar to what happened three years ago happened…" he sighed.

Astrid knew that what Hiccup was referring to was the incident where Dagur had nearly violated Zenna and would have killed her if Hiccup hadn't gone all crazy and fought him off. Hiccup had almost been killed by Dagur himself but Zenna had been there to take care of him. But there was no changing the fact that what happened with Dagur three years ago had rattled both Hiccup and Zenna.

"Hiccup, I know you're worried about Zenna but I don't think Dagur can manage to make it all the way to Greece," Astrid told the one-legged teen. "I guess you're right. But Toothless and I always worry about them. Are they getting enough to eat? Are they getting enough sleep? Is Zenna doing alright in her lessons? Are the people there being nice to her and Stryka? Are there any boys bullying Zenna or, worse, chasing after her? I worry about Zenna almost every single day she's not here, Astrid, especially when it comes to the whole ' _boys chasing after her_ ' part," Hiccup said worriedly, making Astrid giggle at his overprotective brother instincts.

Gently placing her head against his shoulder, Astrid said, "Hiccup, this is Zenna we're talking about. She's one of the toughest people out there and she and Stryka can fend for themselves." Holding her boyfriend's hand. Hiccup sighed and looked up at the clouds. "You know, whenever Toothless and I went out flying without you guys, we'd imagine that Zenna and Stryka were flying right alongside us. And, after getting that letter, whenever we set out for a new adventure…we'd both think of what they're doing right now out there…Imagining Zen having her own adventures out there in the world…it made me feel less lonely…" Hiccup admitted. Astrid smiled softly at him. "Well now that you have us, you and Toothless aren't so lonely now, right?" she asked. Hiccup smiled and gently kissed Astrid on the lips. When they pulled away, Hiccup smiled. "Yeah…we're not so alone anymore…" he said softly.

"Zenna and Stryka will be back soon, Hiccup. You and Toothless just have to be patient," Astrid reassured him. Toothless then warbled and brought Hiccup his flower crown. "Good job, bud. Oh, if Stryka were here, she'd love it for sure," Hiccup smiled. Toothless smiled his toothless smile upon the mention of his beloved mate's name.

"So what do you and Toothless usually do with them?" Astrid asked, referring to the flower crowns. To answer, Hiccup got on Toothless and flew off in the direction of the beach. Mounting Stormfly, Astrid followed them.

At the beach, Hiccup and Toothless landed. Together, they set the flower crowns on little wooden rafts and sent them out to sea. Astrid and Stormfly smiled and watched as the two best friends let their gifts drift off on the waves. " _I lrove ywou, Strrykaa…See ywou soon…_ " Toothless warbled as Hiccup scratched his head.

' _Happy Friendaversary, Zen…I miss you…_ ' Hiccup thought as the flower crowns floated out to sea.

* * *

 _Meanwhile…_

' _Happy Friendaversary, Hicc…See you soon…_ ' Twenty-year-old Zenna Fiersome thought as she and Stryka both launched two floating lanterns up into the sky.

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 **As much as the idea of writing my own version of Race to the Edge sounds enticing, I have to focus mostly on my studies right now since College starts in August.**

 **Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this and read and review!**

 **-GuardianDragon98**


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